LLTH PLUS

last minute notes - 2012 edition

2012-02-08T11:03:00.007-05:00

Online registration on Active.com closes tonight at 11:59 pm PST. Late registration is also available at packet pickup on Friday at Ken Combs Running Store from 12 noon to 6:00 pm EST and on race morning from 6:30 - 7:30 am EST at the Horine Center (Lodge) at the FINISH area.

Quest Outdoors (Frankfort Road location) just recently announced they are throwing a pre-race party & pasta dinner at their store from 5:00 - 9:00 pm Friday night (10th) -- no charge. You can also register here & receive a $5 discount on the entry fee.

Trails are wet today & muddy in places. The forecast for the race has been changing almost daily, so you may want to check the forecast before heading out. As it looks now, trails could be partially frozen on race day. All the streams are currently low or dry.

on the 2nd leg near the dam this morning:

Flagging this year will be glo-PINK with most of it stamped with MONTRAIL. Due to the ongoing trail construction on the 2nd leg of the race and due to property owners marking their boundaries, there will be several different colored flags around (red, orange & blue/white striped). Just think PINK & you'll be OK. If you go more than a couple hundred feet without seeing a pink ribbon, something's wrong.

on the 2nd leg at the dam:

When you're on the Yellow Trail on the 2nd leg of the race, you will see & run on short segments of the new, very flat, double wide trail intended to replace all of the narrow, hilly, single track currently in place. Sadly, this may be the last year for the most challenging section of LLTH -- so you may want to enjoy it while you can.

One last item: There may be horses & hiking groups using the same trail as the race Saturday. Please share the trails, especially the narrow single track sections that don't allow much room for passing. Thanks.

May everyone have a SAFE & FUN race!

2012 LLTH update

2012-01-18T11:26:00.011-05:00

Since the last post:

There will be a change from last years race on the 1st leg of the 15m/50k courses due to a recent trail re-alignment by the Forest Service. This small change will bypass the steepest portion of the 2nd downhill and add 0.2 miles to each race distance. The 15m and 50k course maps have not yet been updated to reflect this change. Unfortunately, the Forest Service has kept to their ongoing program to remove ALL steep or narrow trails -- so the course continues to change year to year.

A last minute addition this year: There will be a "fun run" option for those who would like to run just the 1st leg of the 15m/50k course (about 6 miles). Let the volunteers know at the registration desk on race day that you'd like this option. The fee is $35. You will receive a shirt, but no race buff.

For those who wish to become familiar with the course, training runs have been set up for this coming Sunday (22nd) and on Saturday (28th). The 1st run will be leg 1 and leg 2 of the 15m & 50k courses beginning at 8 am EDT from the official race start area. The 2nd run will be on most of the 3rd leg of the 50k (Siltstone Trail & Scotts Gap Trail) beginning at 8 am EDT from the Welcome Center . Anyone is welcome to run all or any portion of the run or course. A permit will not be required for entering the Horine Section on the 22nd or on race day.

The Interstate 64 bridge over the Ohio River just west of Louisville is CLOSED. For those using I-64 west of Louisville to travel to and from the race will need to follow the detour (I-265 & I-65). This will likely add 10+ minutes to your travel time.

Race registration is still open online and by mail. Entry list as of January 16: entries

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2012 Louisville's Lovin' The Hills 50k/15m Registration

2011-11-22T12:58:00.009-05:00

Registration is now open for the 2012 LLTH to be held on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. EST:

Active.com: http://www.active.com/running/fairdale-ky/louisville-lovin-the-hills-2012

Mail in entry: http://web.me.com/cynthiaheady1/louisvillemarathon/entry_form.html

Entry fee is $50 for either the 50k or 15m thru January 21, 2012 (mail in or online). Registration is available online thru Wednesday, February 8, 2012 @ 11:59 PM PST on Active.com. The $60 late fee applies after Jan 21 for both mail in & online entry.

My apologies to those who were unaware that race buffs were given out only to the 1st 100 entrants last year. This information was made known exclusively on this blog last year. For 2012, at least 200 buffs will be available.

Official race website can be found at:
http://web.me.com/cynthiaheady1/louisvillemarathon/llth_page_1.html

Updates on the 2012 event will be forthcoming.

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2011 LLTH - one to remember

2011-02-13T18:53:00.013-05:00

First of all, condolences to the Heady family as Cynthia's father passed away Friday, the day before the event. Although Cynthia & Todd Heady had directed this event together the previous 3 years, this was "Cynthia's race" -- her pride & joy. Cynthia did not make it to the race, but her post race soups did -- hope everyone had a chance to sample them.

8 am start:

Race morning turned out to be cool & clear with a light breeze. A little snow covered the frozen ground near the start area. The temperatures rose quickly on this bright & sunny day and within a few hours, the snow on the trails melted away and the frozen ground quickly thawed. By mid afternoon, the trails were a real mudfest for the 50k runners. Despite the tough trail conditions, most everyone kept to the task & completed their race. Congratulations to all who finished!

early in the day:
Unfortunately, everything did not go as smoothly as planned this day for Todd, who was thrust into directing a race that Cynthia handled and all at the last minute. I hope everyone can be understanding:

Due to miscommunications, the volunteer who was to man the most critical junction (50k/15m split) on the course did not make it there. Once it was discovered there wasn't anyone there, Todd himself went to the junction & directed traffic until help arrived.

part of sign map for RD:
There were 16 runners, including 1 15m runner (based on the tracker at the Siltstone trailhead) who started on the 3rd leg & bypassed most of the 2nd leg. When the 50k runners reached the junction again on the return trip, they were directed to Yost & onto the remainder of the 2nd leg which had been bypassed earlier. The 15m runner was turned around at Bearcamp Road. RESULTS are currently posted, however, I would say they're preliminary until notes can be doublechecked. The link to these results has currently overwritten the 2009 results and the link for 2011 results on the Headfirst Performance website is currently (2-13-11) incorrect. Please be patient as Cynthia & Todd are attending to family matters.

Thank you Headfirst Performance for proceeding with this event despite difficult times. There was a record number of finishers & I believe most would say they enjoyed themselves!

last minute notes 2011

2011-02-10T12:39:00.010-05:00

Online registration at Active.com has closed. Late registration is available at packet pickup Friday or on race morning from 6:30 - 7:30 am EST at the Horine Center (Lodge) at the START area.

The temps for Saturday look like they will be close to normal this time of year. Roads are clear. As of today (Thursday), the trails are frozen and there's a dusting of snow from last night. With the sun out today & tomorrow, that dusting will be gone by race morning. However, remnants of last Monday's 1 inch snowfall will still be present on the shaded areas of the course. Be prepared for some snowy trails early. With the sun & temps reaching the 40's on race day, there will be some thawing and a little mud. Most of the streams are dried up or frozen.

A mile worth of course flagging was removed by a vandal & fortunately it was discovered yesterday. The course has been remarked but we cannot guarantee the entire course will be intact race day. If you're unfamiliar with the area, it may be wise to carry a map.

Headfirst Performance (Race Directors) will be missing a main part of their crew Saturday as there's been a very serious illness in Cynthia's family this week. Todd Heady is now handling most of the duties.

The entry list has not been updated lately as I get the info from Cynthia. With better weather & course conditions this year, there should be close to 200 entries, matching last year.

Here are some pics from this morning on the 2nd leg near the dam:

May everyone have a SAFE & FUN race!

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update

2011-01-13T10:16:00.014-05:00

Since the last post:

1. Training runs have been set up for the next 2 Saturdays (15th & 22nd). The 1st will be the 2 loops of the 15m course beginning at 8 am EDT from the official race start area. The 2nd will be on the Siltstone Trail (13m) & possibly the Scotts Gap loop (3m) beginning at 8 am EDT from the Welcome Center. Anyone is welcome to run all or any portion of the run or course. It's possible there will be more training runs -- check out the 2011 FAQ side tab for the most current schedule.

2. The new course maps for the 15m and 50k have been posted. Some of the course from last year can be seen in light red. The management at Jefferson Memorial Forest could not decide on the final 1/4 mile of trail connecting the Yellow trail on the 2nd leg of the course for 15m & 50k. Therefore, they have asked that if this area is used for the race, that anything disturbed must be returned to it's original condition. That means this section of the course thru the Forest will be marked only with ribbons & signs. It was previously thought that a trail could be cleared somewhat & that the leaves could be pulled back for a more distinct path, but that will not happen.

Highlights of the course changes:

15m & 50k:
The 1 mile roadway section (run twice on the out & back) connecting the 1st & 2nd legs has been replaced by a new trail section. This new trail adds distance, so a 1.0 mile segment of the Yellow Trail on the 2nd leg has been bypassed with a shorter 0.25 mile trail. There will also be a quarter mile section of "unimproved" trail (run twice) connecting the 2nd leg this year only.

15m:
There will be only be 2 loops instead of 3 this year as most of the 3rd loop has been incorporated into the 2nd loop.

50k:
The end of the 2nd loop is not at the START area as in previous years. The 3rd loop of the 50k is a modified "lollipop" course starting at the 15m/50k split (2nd time thru) and ending at the FINISH area (Lodge).

Instead of running on 1/2 mile of gravel Rayhill Road & Mitchell Hill Road (done twice on the out and back), the 50k course will go over a hill and around the Welcome Center near the Siltstone trailhead.

On the Scotts Gap loop section, 2 steep ditches have been bypassed with new trail segments and a drop bag station has been added.

3. A new GPS info side tab has been added that lists the address & GPS coordinates for the race start for those who like to punch in their destinations.

4. An updated entry list will be added soon.

Online registration is still available at:

http://www.active.com/running/fairdale-ky/louisville-lovin-the-hills-2011

Paper entry form:

http://web.me.com/cynthiaheady1/louisvillemarathon/entry_form.html

2011 Louisville's Lovin' The Hills Registration

2010-11-21T11:44:00.006-05:00

Registration is now open for the 2011 LLTH to be held on Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 8:00 a.m. EST:

http://www.active.com/running/fairdale-ky/louisville-lovin-the-hills-2011

Regular entry fee will be $50 for either the 50k or 15m thru January 22 and $60 thru February 9, 2011 @ 8:59 PM on Active.com. Late & race day entry fee will be $60. A mail-in entry form is available on the official LLTH website:

http://web.me.com/cynthiaheady1/louisvillemarathon/llth_page_1.html

There will be an extra goodie in the race packets of early (first 100?) 50k/15m registrants. A race buff was given away last year.

Updates on the 2011 event are forthcoming -- there will be changes -- including a major re-route of the course (3 miles of roadway sections will be bypassed).

LLTH 2010 - a tough one

2010-02-07T19:59:00.014-05:00

The challenge of LLTH is not just the hills. The uncertain February weather & course conditions will always be a part of the race:

This year saw a storm dump over an inch of rain onto an already wet course Friday, leading to high streams & lots of standing water on the trails. With the rain changing to snow overnight, the puddles & the mud would be hidden from sight with a 1-2" white blanket. It wouldn't take long though, for the runners to reveal all those puddles, splashing water & mud everywhere. Eventually the mud worked it's way to the top on most, but not on all the trails. Where the trail drained well & was on the shady side of the hills, the snow would remain & become packed down as the day wore on. On some hills, the wet snow actually provided better traction than had there been mud alone.

Temperatures hovered at or just below the freezing mark all day. There was a 15-20 mph north wind most of the day. Gusts were in the 25-30 mph range & most noticeable on the ridge tops.

Counting race day registration, there were close to 200 entries for the 50k & 15m races this year -- a record. Also a record in the number of 15m finishers. The slushy, muddy parking areas in the grassy fields next to the Start held up surprisingly well. This was the first test as they've always been fairly dry or frozen in previous years.

Lodge:

Congratulations are in order for everyone who finished this day! Special honors go to Eric Grossman, the one responsible for starting this wonderful race in 2004 and returning for his 3rd 50k overall win this year. Full results are posted on the Headfirst Performance website.

THANKS go out to Cynthia & Todd Heady, who once again put on another great event and to all the runners & volunteers who helped make LLTH another success this year!

Anyone who took pictures & wishes to share them on this site, let me know! The Forest was a really gorgeous backdrop to the race this year with the wet snow plastered onto the trees and the snow covering everything with a sound deadening blanket -- a true winter wonderland!

prerace:

goodies:

last minute notes 2010

2010-02-04T10:37:00.017-05:00

Course: The 5" snow from last weekend has been melting away this week. Could get a little messy if we get all the precipitation that's forecast the next couple days. Below are a couple pics on the Blue Trail (3rd Leg) at the dam -- just a little snow left in the shaded areas as of this morning:

Parking: Much of the ground near the start is saturated, but I've been informed by the Forest staff that the grassy fields adjacent to the start area actually have a gravel base beneath them -- I have not confirmed this personally on site . . .

Early packet pickup: Time has been changed to 11 am to 6 pm (was 10 am to 7 pm) Friday at Ken Combs Running Store. You can also register for the race here.

Extra goodies: There will be an extra item in some of the race packets: buffs to the 1st 100 entrants by date; socks or gloves in some of the others.

Entrants: The entry list has been updated thru 2-3-10, 74 entries for the 50k, 88 for the 15m.

New photo gallery: Eric Grossman, the founder of LLTH & one of the top ultrarunners in the country, is the current record holder for the 50k (2007) and plans to participate again this year. He has just uploaded all of his pictures from the 2005 LLTH, the 2nd of the two races which he directed -- the new photo gallery is posted under 2005 by Eric Grossman. Thanks Eric for sharing!

I hope everyone gets the chance to take in the sights thruout the Forest when they're running & when they can afford to take their eyes off the trail. Although the Jefferson Memorial Forest has been scarred badly in recent years from tornadoes, a hurricane & a severe ice storm, there are still very nice areas to enjoy.

You may want to check out the Horine Center (Lodge) after the finish -- I've heard that there will be at least a half dozen hot soups to choose from (Cynthia doesn't want you to leave hungry)!

May everyone have a SAFE & FUN race!

More updates

2010-01-10T16:25:00.004-05:00

Updated course maps (see tabs to the side):

The new courses for the 15 mile & 50k consist of 3 lollipop shaped legs -- an out and back section with a loop at the end for each leg. All the loops will be run counterclockwise, EXCEPT the final loop on the 3rd leg of the 15 miler, which has been changed to clockwise this year. The layouts have been simplified over previous years with fewer turns. There will still be a section where the 15 mile participants will be running in the opposite direction of the 50k runners for a short 0.25 mile section at the beginning of the 3rd leg of the 50k -- which is the end portion of 3rd leg of the 15 mile course. There will be signs as well as a volunteer at each end of this section to be sure everyone is on the right track.

The finish line has been moved from the starting line area to the Horine Center (Lodge), which requires a left turn upon reaching the gravel road at the end of the 3rd leg for both the 50k & 15m -- see course maps.

Updated FAQ's:

Biggest change here is that early packet pickup has been moved to the new sponsor location (Ken Combs Running Store) and the announcement of 2 training runs the weekend of January 16-17.

New photo gallery added:

Larry Hilton, a Naturalist & the Trail Supervisor in the Jefferson Memorial Forest was on the 2nd leg of the 2009 LLTH race when he took these pictures -- 2009 Larry Hilton. Thanks Larry for the photos & for keeping the trails clear for us each year!

A couple changes for 2010

2009-11-23T21:39:00.005-05:00

I've just started updating this blog for 2010. Changes will be forthcoming on dates, links, maps, etc. The first couple changes are here:

The date for the race has been changed to Saturday February 6, 2010. Sorry for any inconvenience this will make to anyone's plans. Although Headfirst Performance had reserved the site for the 13th, Metro Parks changed their mind & gave notification just recently. They have said that the Horine Center would not be available that weekend -- reason being that they were going to extend their one day Valentine's Retreat for couples from Sunday the 14th to the entire weekend!

There will be a course change on the final leg of the 50k. Instead of running the Purple Heart Trail in Tom Wallace Park, the Scott's Gap loop at the end of the Siltstone Trail will be included. The Siltstone Trail will be run in its' entirety from start to finish. After the 3 miles around Scott's Gap, the course will return on the full length of the Siltstone Trail back to the Welcome Center & then back to the finish at the Horine Center. This change will remove about 1.25 miles of sidewalk and paved road within Tom Wallace Park. With fewer turns, it will also make for less confusion for runners & for easier marking of the course. New course maps will be posted when available.

Online registration is currently available at Active.com.

2009 Louisville's Lovin' the Hills -- Notes & Results

2009-02-16T08:50:00.006-05:00

FOR 2011, click here: 2011 LLTH

After the ice storm, "postpone" or "cancel" were possible options for the race this year. Fortunately for everyone, Headfirst Performance took on the challenge. This was Cynthia & Todd Heady's 2nd year at directing LLTH & it was another successful event!

The light rain that was forecast didn't happen & the course, for the most part, was only damp with just a few muddy spots here & there. Trails were in great shape, considering what they looked like only recently. Even though most of the course had been cleared at least a couple times, a few new branches & maybe a tree or 2 had fallen onto the trails by race time, but there was nothing very big or hard to get over or around.

THANKS again to all the workers & volunteers who cleared the trails & made the race possible! Special THANKS to Larry Hilton with the JMF staff who went above & beyond to meet the deadline. Also, THANKS to all the runners & volunteers who helped make LLTH a success!

The 2009 LLTH Race Results have been posted at the Headfirst Performance website.

update

2009-02-13T14:19:00.002-05:00

I'm having to post this from another computer as I've been without power at my house since the wind storm hit Wednesday:

With the rain & high winds earlier in the week, plans were set back for the chainsaw crews, but they are working now as I type this to finish the last mile or so of the trails. There was also a last minute (small) re-route on the Yost (Yellow) Trail on the 2nd loop yesterday to avoid a heavily damaged section of trail as it was easier to do so than to cut & remove all the trees. Don't be surprised if you encounter an obstacle in your path tomorrow, in fact, I'd be surprised if you didn't encounter something! Dangling limbs & branches & damaged tree tops left over from the ice storm have continued to fall on the trails. Even going back on the trails to mark the course, it felt at times like a clearing operation. Normally, the trails here are trimmed back fairly well. This year there will be branches & brush that extend into the trails at some locations, so be cautious for those at head/eye level!

May everyone have a SAFE & FUN race!

Super Saturday

2009-02-08T08:43:00.003-05:00

40+ volunteers & workers showed up yesterday for the cleanup of the trails - most impressive! Many THANKS!! More work was done than all the previous weekdays combined. There were a half dozen groups & 3 chainsaw crews scattered thruout the Forest at any given time. Although temps reached the 60's and it had been above freezing for several days, everyone battled the icy conditions on the shady sides of the steeper hills. The thick ice was thawed just enough to be able to kick in steps or dig in with your heels to get a foothold -- that still didn't keep everyone upright when it came to dragging & manuevering fallen trees off the trails. Some fell numerous times on the steeper icy sections. One chainsaw operator slipped & slid 20 feet down a slope, chainsaw in tow.

Only about 2 miles remain to be cleared of the smaller trees, brush & debris & about 7 miles of trails have only the large trees to be cut & removed -- almost all of these are on the segments hit the hardest, the 2nd loop (Yellow Trail) and in Tom Wallace Park. With above freezing temps forecast for the rest of the week and the continued dedication of volunteers & Jefferson Memorial Forest workers, the course will be clear race day (if no other trees fall!)

Cynthia & Todd (Race Directors) and Kim on the Blue Trail:

MAJOR ice storm

2009-02-04T20:53:00.010-05:00

I would have posted this earlier, but like most residents in the Jefferson Memorial Forest area, I was without electric for 7 days & internet service for 9 days:

On January 26-27, a major ice storm, called the worst in Kentucky history, hit the Jefferson Memorial Forest (JMF). It first started with a couple inches of sleet, followed by a day of freezing rain, then it was all topped off with 4 inches of snow. Park roads were closed the 1st week until the trees could be removed and the powerlines restored. Countless trees, tree tops & branches have filled in the trails from start to finish. The monumental task of clearing has begun (MANY THANKS to the dedicated JMF workers & all the volunteers!) -- progress has been slow with the icy conditions. If anyone is interested, meet at the Welcome Center this Saturday or Sunday at 9 am as small groups are assigned different trail segments to clear.

If we have good weather & the current effort is continued, I believe all the trails will be passable by race day.

Pictures taken on the course 5 days after the storm first hit:

Starting line is at the gate (15m, 50k):

Entrance to the Siltstone Trail (50k):

Tom Wallace Lake Road (inbound portion 50k):

Former aid station location at Tom Wallace Lake:

Even the outhouses at the Start were not spared:

race headquarters

2009-01-21T21:24:00.011-05:00

The Jefferson Memorial Forest has a special event planned each Valentine's Day at the Manor House (Lodge) in the Horine section of the Forest. This Lodge has been used the last several years as the LLTH race headquarters as it kept everyone out of the weather and did so with style & comfort. With a scenic overlook of Louisville off the back deck, the Lodge is also within sight of the start/finish area. Although this special Valentine's Day program starts at 7:30 p.m., it would be difficult to clear & clean up after the race in time to prevent any disruption. So late sign-up, packet pickup, post race food, etc., will be located in a tent in an area allowed by Forest Management. At this time, a location close to last year's start/finish/aid station area is being sought. Back in 2004, the race date also fell on Valentine's Day, however, the Lodge was not an issue. The start/finish was located at the Welcome Center that year.

Official announcement from the Jefferson Memorial Forest website:

Valentine Forest Retreat
Saturday, February 14, 2009
7:30 - 10 p.m.

Looking for something romantic to do with your sweetheart this year? Why not give them the moon, the stars, and all of Louisville? Join our staff for a romantic, candlelit hike through the Forest that ends with an incredible view of the lights of Louisville. The hike's destination is the Forest's beautiful Manor House where you'll be greeted by a roaring fire to warm you up, hot beverages and desserts provided by local bakeries. Meets in the Horine Reservation.
Fee: $25 per couple

This fills up every year. If interested, contact the Welcome Center at 11311 Mitchell Hill Road, (502) 368-6856.

NEW official website

2008-12-23T15:38:00.002-05:00

The Cherokee Road Runners organization has given Louisville's Lovin' the Hills to Headfirst Performance. The new official website is found at 2009 LLTH. The old site was 2008 LLTH.

The Trail Store will be conducting training runs in the Jefferson Memorial Forest every Sunday morning at 8:00. To find out where to meet each week, contact the store to get on the running group email list. There will also be tempo road runs from the store location every Wednesday morning, starting January 7, 2009 at 5:30 PM EST. The 1st training run in the Jefferson Memorial Forest will be at the Welcome Center at 11311 Mitchell Hill Road on Sunday, December 28.

2009 Louisville's Lovin' the Hills 50k -- online registration is OPEN

2008-11-24T17:55:00.003-05:00

Event details are beginning to be finalized for 2009. Currently, online registration is open at Active.com. Last year's mail-in entry form is being revised for 2009 and will be posted when it's completed.

HeadFirst Performance Services will direct this event as they did last year. The 15 mile option will be offered again along with the 50k. The early entry fee for either race will remain at $50.

This blog will be updated as more information becomes available.

2008 results

2008-02-17T18:44:00.003-05:00

The overall results have been posted on the HeadFirst Performance Services website.

comments

2008-02-16T17:40:00.002-05:00

I’ve been told by people at the race today that they’ve been unable to post their comments to this blog. In the options, I have set the blog to receive comments from “anyone – including anonymous users”. If someone knows what is needed to correct this, or if anyone wishes to send comments about the blog, race or whatever, I can be reached directly at edibo@insightbb.com – Thanks!

last minute notes

2008-02-15T17:12:00.004-05:00

The sun & warmer temps than expected melted a lot of snow today. About an inch or less of slushy snow remains, with more in shaded areas. How much it freezes back will depend on just how cold it gets tonight.

With all the runoff from the melting, it may be difficult to keep the feet dry crossing a couple streams unless the freeze helps brings them down tonight.

The rock face on the 2^nd loop (Yellow Trail) may be icy in the morning -- the alternate path above it is not a well worn one – although it may be flagged as the course by race time. Some very narrow sections of the Yellow Trail near the end of the loop are tricky when wet, more so when snowy or icy.

Some of the course flagging may be on the ground due to the icing earlier in the week.

Good Luck!

snowy trails

2008-02-13T14:06:00.012-05:00

Weather/course conditions will be a factor in this year’s event once again. After snowing an inch/hour for several hours Monday evening, sleet & freezing rain followed, with an all day rain yesterday. This photo is on the Blue Trail about 11:00 Tuesday morning:
After the rain yesterday, the 4 or 5 inches of snow is down to a couple inches or so with a frozen crust. The picture of the trail hasn't changed much today except the icy coating on the trees is gone.

2008 course

2008-02-11T20:29:00.000-05:00

There have been several changes made to the course from last year. The biggest change involves adding the Orange Trail and removing the section of gravel road around the Nature Center. Another change involves moving the course off the highway and onto a trail at the end of the Siltstone Trail for the 50K runners. The details of the changes can be found at this link: 2008 course changes

As this post is being entered, a heavy snow is falling here in Louisville.

the wind of change

2008-02-09T21:26:00.000-05:00

One of reasons the Jefferson Memorial Forest is such a gem that it is, is because of the people that work to keep it that way. Many thanks go out to Forest Management, in particular Larry Hilton, whose dedication goes far beyond that required of his position. Thanks also to Matt & Eric, who have trekked the many miles of hilly trails with chainsaws to clear the downed trees from the last 2 wind storms. Hopefully the forecast tonight of sustained winds of 40 mph won’t be as destructive as the wind bursts from last week.

According to the RD, there will be several changes in the course from last year, most notably within the first 7 miles of both races. A new trail is being added & a traverse along a gravel road (added last year only) will be removed. This change & others will be noted in detail soon.

speed bumps

2008-02-06T16:56:00.002-05:00

With the ground saturated & high winds during 2 storms this past week, numerous trees have come down blocking several trails. Hopefully Larry & Matt with Forest Management can keep up with the growing list.

race photos

2008-01-31T21:11:00.000-05:00

Links to photo collections from years past have been added. The race photos are courtesy of HeadFirst Performance Services, Smugmug.com, Cherokee Road Runners, Win & Lorrie Apel and Eric Grossman. For 2007, the photos are a sampling of the large collection available at: http://headfirstperformance.smugmug.com/gallery/2485967#130450555.

Thanks goes out to all the photographers. Additional photos will be added as they become available.

video & photos

2008-01-27T13:18:00.000-05:00

Cynthia & Todd Heady have posted a link to a 2nd youtube video of the course on their site at http://www.headfirstperformance.com/index.html. They've also posted an elevation profile for the second half of the 50k course.

Photos from past years at LLTH are being gathered & will be uploaded to a Picasa web album. Links will be forthcoming. Photo courtesy of smugmug.com:

trail re-route

2008-01-24T10:40:00.000-05:00

Larry Hilton, a Naturalist with Louisville Metro Parks, has confirmed that the latest re-route on Siltstone Trail will not be opened till after LLTH. This is good news to those who like challenging hills, bad news for those whose legs are gone when they reach this long, stair stepped hill. When opened after LLTH, the trail will go around & along the side of the hill adding a little distance to the course next year. Larry also pointed out that there’s logging activities right next to the Siltstone Trail on the far end of the (50k) course and that the race organizers may want to use a different colored ribbon than the pink/red flagging used thru this area.

course changes

2008-01-20T21:05:00.000-05:00

As a Jefferson Memorial Forest volunteer “trail ranger” I’m able to keep up with the status of trail maintenance & realignments, especially when it pertains to the trails used during the LLTH event. The course has changed every year that the event has taken place – there have been somewhat major re-routes, but most have been minor changes. Some trail sections are closed to allow “resting” of the area & later rotated back into service. Management also has an ongoing program to eliminate steep and/or difficult to maintain sections of trail thruout the forest. What this means is that some steeper hills are being eliminated from the course each year. Some may remember back prior to 2006 when the steepest section on the course was where the trail went straight up a washed out gulley on the Red Trail and you had to use all fours to get up – no such sections close to that today. So far since February 2007, there has been one section of trail that has been re-routed around a hill approaching Tom Wallace Lake. 50K race veterans may remember this quad burning hill at around mile 14 that’s only on the outbound portion of the Siltstone Trail. This steep, stair stepped section has been replaced with a couple small switchbacks and a trail bypassing the top of the hill. There is another re-route of the Siltstone Trail scheduled to be opened soon near Jefferson Hill Road. Whether this is opened prior to race day is still pending. This big long hill being bypassed is another stair stepped section with this one hill being the most difficult, in my opinion, on the 50K course. It’s not even easy going down with all the steps & roots & sharp twists in the trail, but with the course being an out and back on Siltstone, the trip going back up this hill is one you (or your legs) will remember long after the finish. Tune in for updates on this latest re-route. For runners who are concerned about the change in the length of the races, it’s in the works to have the courses re-checked by GPS & wheel. An elevation profile for the entire 50K & 15M courses is likely to be posted on the website prior to Feb 16.

official site

2008-01-19T21:22:00.000-05:00

1st post

The official LLTH site is at:
http://www.cherokeeroadrunners.org/llth.index.htm

Race directors Cynthia & Todd Heady have their own site at: http://www.headfirstperformance.com/index.html
You can find a link there to a youtube video taken by Cynthia on the 1st part of the LLTH course. Another video is forthcoming on the second half of the 50K course.